17 Paleo-Friendly Treats for Halloween That You Don’t Have to Make Yourself

Every Halloween my kids implore me to hand out “real candy” (the irony!) to trick-or-treaters and I’ll admit that in my pre-Paleo life, there were years I simply caved under pressure.

Conventional candy contains potentially harmful ingredients such as

Artificial flavorings and colorings

Preservatives

High fructose corn syrup

Hydrogenated oils

and more

This year, I’m handing out Paleo-friendly treats that my kids have approved. Because these items can be budget busting, I’m purchasing an amount that fits my spending plan and if we run out before the night is over, we’re using a backup stash of stickers and tattoos.

17 Pre-Made Paleo Halloween Treats for Kids

Here are 17 pre-packaged Paleo-friendly treat ideas for all the little ghosts, goblins, characters, and whatnots who ring your doorbell this Halloween.

While these won’t work for kiddos under age one, they’re a simple, affordable, completely Paleo option for passing out sweets on Halloween. Bonus: use them to sweeten your tea or coffee if you have leftovers!

While these aren’t 100 percent Paleo, they’re free from corn products and artificial flavorings and dyes, making them a significantly less harmful option to conventional Halloween candy. They’re also affordable, and can typically be found in most grocery stores.

These aren’t completely Paleo, since they contain cane sugar, but if you’re dealing with peanut or other anaphylactic allergies, these are made in a dedicated nut and gluten-free facility. They’re also top-8 allergen free.

While these do contain sunflower oil, they’re otherwise grain and nut-free, making them a smart allergy-friendly choice for Halloween. They’re low in added sugars and contain 5 grams of protein, which is more than most Halloween treat options can boast.

While these contain some cane sugar and brown rice syrup, they’re individually wrapped coconut caramel bites that are Paleo-ish, and which provide a great sweet treat for anyone who must have dairy-free.

If you’re missing peanut butter cups on Halloween, but you have to avoid them for allergy purposes, these sun butter cups might do the trick. While they’re not traditionally Paleo, they’re gluten free, dairy free, and corn free.

While these do contain rice, they contain no other grains and are made in a nut-free facility. While not strictly Paleo, they do replace the typical crunch found with candy that children might be missing, in an allergen-friendly version.

LARABARs are refreshingly minimalist in regards to ingredients and contain mostly dried fruit and nuts. For instance, the Cashew Cookie LARABAR contains just cashews and dates. Other flavors contain a variety of additional spice, fruit juice concentrate, chocolate chips, or sea salt and all ingredients are gluten free, soy free, dairy free, and non-GMO. Keep in mind that some of these contain peanuts, so they’re not allergen friendly for peanuts or tree nuts.

Glee Gum is made from sustainably harvested chicle tree sap from Sapodilla trees in the rainforests of Central America. It is non-GMO and Fair Trade Certified. Sugar-free Glee Gum contains xylitol, a sugar alcohol that has a negligible effect on blood sugar and is a proven cavity preventive. One note of caution: sugar alcohols are FODMAPs and may cause GI distress. A list of flavors and ingredients can be found at Glee Gum. It is available at many natural food stores and some retail stores such as Target.

Shopping Resources for Paleo Candy

Want a one-stop shopping experience for your Halloween needs? Natural Candy Store is a website where all types of organic, GMO-free, allergy-friendly, gluten-free, and Fair Trade candies are available. It’s a family-run business that promises no artificial colors or dyes, no artificial flavors, no artificial sweeteners, no preservatives, and no hydrogenated oils.

You can search for candy by category or do a “special diets advanced search” to find items that fit very specific needs ranging from Feingold Stage 1 appropriate, to peanut-free, tapioca syrup–free, and more. Ingredients are available for all candies so informed decisions can be made. Check the Halloween shipping deadlines to make sure your candy will get to you on time for the holiday.

Bottom Line

Our approach to the modern-day celebration of Halloween depends on family traditions, cultural practices, and personal beliefs. For my family, keeping it as Paleo as possible during this night of epic sugar sharing is what works.

Sally Barden Johnson

Sally Johnson, RDN, LD is a registered and licensed dietitian and health coach. She is an avid CrossFitter and enjoys working with clients to find the best nutritional solutions within a Paleo/Primal framework to solve their health issues. She also enjoys spending time with her family. She can be found on Instagram at instagram.com/sallyjohnsonrd.